Tejashwi writes to Bihar CM demanding 85% reservation for all deprived classes
In the two-page letter to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, he demanded that a special session of the Assembly be convened to pass a Bill providing 85% reservation for all deprived classes. A proposal to include it in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution should then be sent to the Central government within three weeks, he said. (The laws included in the Ninth Schedule cannot be challenged in courts)
Also read: Can Bihar increase its reservation pool? | Explained
Mr. Yadav who is also the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, said that if these steps are not taken, the RJD will launch a massive mass movement across the State.
The RJD leader reminded Mr. Kumar that he formed the government with the help of his party in August 2022 and due to his efforts, the work of caste-based census was completed in Bihar in 2023 by the Mahagathbandhan government.
Following the caste-based survey report, the State government had taken the decision to increase the reservation for the Backward Classes (BCs), the Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs), Scheduled Castes (SCs) and the Scheduled Tribes (STs) from the existing 50% to 65%. Together with the 10% Economically Backward Class (EWS) quota, the Bill pushed the reservation in Bihar to 75%.
Editorial | Equality and identity: On the findings of the Bihar caste count
However, on June 20, 2024, the Patna High Court set aside the amendments passed by the Bihar Assembly to increase the reservation in educational institutions and government jobs. The High Court had said that this violated the 50% limit set by the Supreme Court.
'Historic move'
'That historic decision of the Mahagathbandhan government ensured that the people of Dalit-tribal, backward and extremely backward as well as economically weaker sections get the benefit of increased reservation. However, this law was set aside by the Patna High Court, saying that the reservation limit has been increased by limit has been increased without conducting a study of the representation of the people of these castes in government jobs and educational institutions of the State,' Mr. Yadav said in the letter.
Also read | Limit and excess: On the Patna High Court judgment and enhanced reservation
The former Deputy Chief Minister pointed out that, on the same lines, people of Tamil Nadu had been getting 69% reservation for the last 35 years.
All-party committee
He added, 'In this situation, it is now very important that the government constitutes an all-party committee after conducting a proper study and submits its report within a week. In light of the study done by the all-party committee, a one-day special session of the Bihar Legislative Assembly should be called and a new Bill providing for a total 85% reservation should be passed. A recommendation should be made to the Central government to include it in the Ninth Schedule.' He said that by doing so (including in the Ninth Schedule), the 'anti-reservation elements' and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government will not get a chance to cancel it again through various means.
He asked whether the NDA government wanted the current limit of reservation for the deprived classes to be increased to 85% or not. 'If you do not do this, then it will be understood that you and your government are deliberately avoiding this matter. The backward Dalit and tribal candidates are losing lakhs of jobs in the appointment process, which is a mockery of the concept of reservation and equality and the objectives of that Bill,' Mr. Yadav said.
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